Royal baby due date imminent: Kate Middleton to give birth by end of week

The royal baby due date is imminent, as Kate Middleton is reportedly 3 days overdue. However, some sources say July 15 was her due date, which means she is just one day overdue.

Media from around the world have been camped outside of St Mary's hospital in London in anticipation of the impending arrival of the royal baby girl or boy.

The Duchess of Cambridge had traveled to be with her family on the weekend many believed to be her official due date to escape soaring temperatures in the country. Prince William was spotted playing polo with Prince Harry over the weekend, suggesting that the baby's due date is still a few days, or even a week, away.

According to latest rumors, a source close to the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla reportedly said that the baby is expected by the end of this week. The baby will reportedly be delivered by the Queen's former gynecologist, Marcus Setchell, along with her current gynecologist, Alan Farthing.

The exact due date has been hidden from the world media, and Middleton has been out of the public view since her last official public engagement on June 13. The Duchess of Cambridge was last seen publicly in Southampton, England when she christened the Royal Princess, the latest ocean liner from Princess Cruises.

When the Duchess finally goes into labor, she will be wheeled into the private Lindo Wing of the hospital. The progress of her labor will not be updated to the press, and the Queen will be the first to receive the news of the birth of the future heir to Britain's throne. The news of the birth of the baby will first be reported to the Queen before any official announcement is made. An aide from the hospital will carry a piece of paper with details of the baby's gender, weight and time of birth, which will then be taken to Buckingham Palace. The official notice will be put on an easel on the forecourt of the Palace for the world to see before the Palace's official Twitter feed sends out the news.

The soon-to-be-parents have not revealed the gender of the baby yet. Punters have been betting on everything from the sex, birthdate, and name of the baby.

A high-speed helicopter has been put on standby so that Prince William can be flown from his RAF base to be by Middleton's side in London when she goes into labor. The Duke, who works as a rescue pilot in Anglesey, has reportedly promised to be by her side when the time comes.

Pope Francis is scheduled to arrive in the Philippines next week to pay a visit to the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan that hit the country in 2013. Part of his itinerary is to have a meal with these survivors.